C1000-130 IBM Cloud Pak for Integration V2021.2 Administration Questions and Answers

In Red Hat OpenShift GitOps, which is based on ArgoCD, the deployment process is centered around Git repositories. The framework typically uses at least two repositories:

Application Repository – Contains the source code, manifests, and configurations for the application itself.

Environment Configuration Repository (Correct Answer) – Stores Kubernetes/OpenShift manifests, Helm charts, Kustomize overlays, or other deployment configurations for different environments (e.g., Dev, Test, Prod).

This separation of concerns ensures that:

Developers manage application code separately from infrastructure and deployment settings.

GitOps principles are applied, enabling automated deployments based on repository changes.

The Environment Configuration Repository serves as the single source of truth for deployment configurations.

Why the Other Options Are Incorrect?Option

Explanation

Correct?

A. Nexus

❌ Incorrect – Nexus is a repository manager for storing binaries, artifacts, and dependencies (e.g., Docker images, JAR files), but it is not a GitOps repository.

❌

B. Ansible configuration

❌ Incorrect – While Ansible can manage infrastructure automation, OpenShift GitOps primarily uses Kubernetes manifests, Helm, or Kustomize for deployment configurations.

❌

D. Maven

❌ Incorrect – Maven is a build automation tool for Java applications, not a repository type used in GitOps workflows.

❌

Final Answer:✅ C. Environment configuration

Red Hat OpenShift GitOps Documentation

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration and OpenShift GitOps

ArgoCD Best Practices for GitOps

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 Administration References:

In IBM API Connect, which is part of IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I), the Management subsystem requires block storage with ReadWriteOnce (RWO) access mode.

The API Connect Management subsystem handles API lifecycle management, analytics, and policy enforcement.

It requires high-performance, low-latency storage, which is best provided by block storage.

The RWO (ReadWriteOnce) access mode ensures that each persistent volume (PV) is mounted by only one node at a time, preventing data corruption in a clustered environment.

IBM Cloud Block Storage

AWS EBS (Elastic Block Store)

Azure Managed Disks

VMware vSAN

Why "RWO Block Storage" is Required?Common Block Storage Options for API Connect on OpenShift:

Why the Other Options Are Incorrect?Option

Explanation

Correct?

A. NFS

❌ Incorrect – Network File System (NFS) is a shared file storage (RWX) and does not provide the low-latency performance needed for the Management subsystem.

❌

B. RWX block storage

❌ Incorrect – RWX (ReadWriteMany) block storage is not supported because it allows multiple nodes to mount the volume simultaneously, leading to data inconsistency for API Connect.

❌

D. GlusterFS

❌ Incorrect – GlusterFS is a distributed file system, which is not recommended for API Connect’s stateful, performance-sensitive components.

❌

Final Answer:✅ C. RWO block storage

IBM API Connect System Requirements

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration Storage Recommendations

Red Hat OpenShift Storage Documentation

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 Administration References:

In IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2, which runs on Red Hat OpenShift, the component responsible for determining the placement of workloads (pods) on worker nodes is the Scheduler.

API Server (Option A): The API Server is the front-end of the OpenShift and Kubernetes control plane, handling REST API requests, authentication, and cluster state updates. However, it does not decide where workloads should be placed.

Controller Manager (Option B): The Controller Manager ensures the desired state of the system by managing controllers (e.g., ReplicationController, NodeController). It does not handle pod placement.

Etcd (Option C): Etcd is the distributed key-value store used by OpenShift and Kubernetes to store cluster state data. It plays no role in scheduling workloads.

Scheduler (Option D - Correct Answer): The Scheduler is responsible for selecting the most suitable node to run a newly created pod based on resource availability, affinity/anti-affinity rules, and other constraints.

When a new pod is created, it initially has no assigned node.

The Scheduler evaluates all worker nodes and assigns the pod to the most appropriate node, ensuring balanced resource utilization and policy compliance.

In CP4I, efficient workload placement is crucial for maintaining performance and resilience, and the Scheduler ensures that workloads are optimally distributed across the cluster.

Explanation of OpenShift Components:Why the Scheduler is Correct?IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 Administration References:

IBM CP4I Documentation – Deploying on OpenShift

Red Hat OpenShift Documentation – Understanding the Scheduler

Kubernetes Documentation – Scheduler

In IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I), operators—including the App Connect Operator—are managed through Operator Lifecycle Manager (OLM) in Red Hat OpenShift. OLM provides two upgrade approval strategies:

Automatic: The operator is upgraded as soon as a new compatible version becomes available.

Manual: An administrator must manually approve the upgrade.

The App Connect Operator supports automatic upgrades when configured with the Automatic approval strategy during installation or later through OperatorHub settings. If this setting is enabled, OpenShift will detect new compatible versions and upgrade the operator without requiring manual intervention.

B. The setting for automatic upgrades can only be specified at the time the App Connect Operator is installed.

Incorrect, because the approval strategy can be modified later in OpenShift’s OperatorHub or via CLI.

C. Once the App Connect Operator is installed, the approval strategy cannot be modified.

Incorrect, because OpenShift allows administrators to change the approval strategy at any time after installation.

D. There is no option to require manual approval for updating the App Connect Operator.

Incorrect, because OLM provides both manual and automatic approval options. If manual approval is set, the administrator must manually approve each upgrade.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 Administration References:

IBM App Connect Operator Upgrade Process

OpenShift Operator Lifecycle Manager (OLM) Documentation

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration Operator Management

In IBM Aspera High-Speed Transfer Server (HSTS), UDP ports are crucial for enabling high-speed data transfers. When multiple instances of Aspera HSTS exist in a cluster, each instance must be assigned a unique UDP port to avoid conflicts and ensure proper traffic routing.

Aspera HSTS relies on UDP for high-speed file transfers (as opposed to TCP, which is typically used for control and session management).

If multiple HSTS instances share the same UDP port, packet collisions and routing issues can occur.

Ensuring unique UDP ports across instances allows for proper load balancing and optimal performance.

B. UDP and TCP ports have to be the same.

Incorrect, because UDP and TCP serve different purposes in Aspera HSTS.

TCP is used for session initialization and control, while UDP is used for actual data transfer.

C. Each TCP port must be unique.

Incorrect, because TCP ports do not necessarily need to be unique across multiple instances, depending on the deployment.

TCP ports can be shared if proper load balancing and routing are configured.

D. UDP ports must be the same.

Incorrect, because using the same UDP port for multiple instances causes conflicts, leading to failed transfers or degraded performance.

Key Considerations for Aspera HSTS in a Cluster:Why Other Options Are Incorrect:IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 Administration References:

IBM Aspera HSTS Configuration Guide

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration - Aspera Setup

IBM Aspera High-Speed Transfer Overview

Uninstalling IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 requires removing the operators, instances, and related resources from the OpenShift cluster. One method to achieve this is through the OpenShift console, which provides a graphical interface for managing operators and deployments.

The OpenShift Web Console allows administrators to:

Navigate to Operators → Installed Operators and remove CP4I-related operators.

Delete all associated custom resources (CRs) and namespaces where CP4I was deployed.

Ensure that all PVCs (Persistent Volume Claims) and secrets associated with CP4I are also deleted.

This is an officially supported method for uninstalling CP4I in OpenShift environments.

Why Option D (OpenShift Console) is Correct:

A. Uninstall.sh → ❌ Incorrect

There is no official Uninstall.sh script provided by IBM for CP4I removal.

IBM’s documentation recommends manual removal through OpenShift.

B. Cloud Pak for Integration console → ❌ Incorrect

The CP4I console is used for managing integration components but does not provide an option to uninstall CP4I itself.

C. Operator Catalog → ❌ Incorrect

The Operator Catalog lists available operators but does not handle uninstallation.

Operators need to be manually removed via the OpenShift Console or CLI.

Explanation of Incorrect Answers:

Uninstalling IBM Cloud Pak for Integration

OpenShift Web Console - Removing Installed Operators

Best Practices for Uninstalling Cloud Pak on OpenShift

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 Administration References:

To add the IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) CatalogSource objects to an OpenShift cluster that has internet access, there are two primary methods:

Using oc apply -f filename (Option A)

The CatalogSource resource definition can be written in a YAML file and applied using the OpenShift CLI.

This method ensures that the cluster is correctly set up with the required catalog sources for CP4I.

Example command:

sh

CopyEdit

oc apply -f cp4i-catalogsource.yaml

This is a widely used approach for configuring OpenShift resources.

Using the OpenShift Admin Web Console (Option E)

Administrators can manually paste the CatalogSource YAML definition into the OpenShift Admin Web Console.

Navigate to Administrator → Operators → OperatorHub → Create CatalogSource, paste the YAML, and click Create.

This provides a UI-based alternative to using the CLI.

B (Incorrect): There is no valid icr-io/cp4int:2.4 catalog project import method for adding a CatalogSource. IBM’s container images are hosted on IBM Cloud Container Registry (ICR), but this method is not used for adding a CatalogSource.

C (Incorrect): Red Hat OpenShift Application Runtimes (RHOAR) is unrelated to the CatalogSource object creation for CP4I.

D (Incorrect): Downloading the CP4I driver and using oc new-project is not the correct approach for adding a CatalogSource. The oc new-project command is used to create OpenShift projects but does not deploy catalog sources.

Explanation of Incorrect Options:IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 Administration References:

IBM Documentation: Managing Operator Lifecycle with OperatorHub

OpenShift Docs: Creating a CatalogSource

IBM Knowledge Center: Installing IBM Cloud Pak for Integration

After successfully installing an OpenShift cluster, the most reliable way to confirm that the cluster is up and running is by checking the status of its nodes. This is done using the oc get nodes command.

The command oc get nodes lists all the nodes in the cluster and their current status.

If the installation is successful, the nodes should be in a "Ready" state, indicating that the cluster is functional and prepared for further configuration, including the installation of IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I).

Option A (Incorrect – which oc): This only verifies that the OpenShift CLI (oc) is installed on the local system, but it does not confirm the cluster installation.

Option B (Incorrect – Checking /.openshift_install.log): While the installation log may indicate a successful install, it does not confirm the operational status of the cluster.

Option C (Correct – oc get nodes): This command confirms that the cluster is running and provides a status check on all nodes. If the nodes are listed and marked as "Ready", it indicates that the OpenShift cluster is successfully installed.

Option D (Incorrect – OpenShift Admin Console Access): While the OpenShift Web Console can be accessed if the cluster is installed, this does not guarantee that the cluster is fully operational. The most definitive check is through the oc get nodes command.

Analysis of the Options:

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration Installation Guide

Red Hat OpenShift Documentation – Cluster Installation

Verifying OpenShift Cluster Readiness (oc get nodes)

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 Administration References:

In IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I), Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) integration allows centralized authentication and user management. To configure LDAP and establish a connection, users must have sufficient privileges within the Cloud Pak environment.

The two roles that can connect and configure LDAP are:

Cloud Pak administrator (A) – ✅ Correct

This role has full administrative access to Cloud Pak services, including configuring authentication and integrating with external directories like LDAP.

A Cloud Pak administrator can define identity providers and manage user access settings.

Cluster administrator (B) – ✅ Correct

The Cluster administrator role has control over the OpenShift cluster, including managing security settings, authentication providers, and infrastructure configurations.

Since LDAP integration requires changes at the cluster level, this role is also capable of configuring LDAP connections.

C. Cluster manager (Incorrect)

There is no predefined "Cluster manager" role in Cloud Pak for Integration that specifically handles LDAP integration.

D. Cloud Pak root (Incorrect)

No official "Cloud Pak root" role exists. Root-level access typically refers to system-level privileges but is not a designated role in Cloud Pak.

D. Cloud Pak user (Incorrect)

Cloud Pak users have limited permissions and can only access assigned services; they cannot configure LDAP or authentication settings.

Analysis of Incorrect Options:

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration - Managing Authentication and LDAP

OpenShift Cluster Administrator Role and Access Control

IBM Cloud Pak - Configuring External Identity Providers

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 Administration References:

In IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2, which runs on Red Hat OpenShift, logging is handled using the OpenShift Logging Operator, which often utilizes Elasticsearch as the log storage backend.

For a highly available (HA) Elasticsearch cluster, the minimum number of nodes required is 3.

Elasticsearch uses a quorum-based system for cluster state management.

A minimum of three nodes ensures that the cluster can maintain a quorum in case one node fails.

HA requires at least two master-eligible nodes, and with three nodes, the system can elect a new master if the active one fails.

Replication across three nodes prevents data loss and improves fault tolerance.

Why Are 3 Elasticsearch Nodes Required for High Availability?Example Elasticsearch Deployment for HA:A standard HA Elasticsearch setup consists of:

3 master-eligible nodes (manage cluster state).

At least 2 data nodes (store logs and allow redundancy).

Optional client nodes (handle queries to offload work from data nodes).

Ensures HA by allowing Elasticsearch to withstand node failures without loss of cluster control.

Prevents split-brain scenarios, which occur when an even number of nodes (e.g., 2) cannot reach a quorum.

Recommended by IBM and Red Hat for OpenShift logging solutions.

Why Answer C (3) is Correct?

A. 1 → Incorrect

A single-node Elasticsearch deployment is not HA because if the node fails, all logs are lost.

B. 2 → Incorrect

Two nodes cannot form a quorum, meaning the cluster cannot elect a leader reliably.

This could lead to split-brain scenarios or a complete failure when one node goes down.

D. 7 → Incorrect

While a larger cluster (e.g., 7 nodes) improves scalability and performance, it is not the minimum requirement for HA.

Three nodes are sufficient for high availability.

Explanation of Incorrect Answers:

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration Logging and Monitoring

OpenShift Logging Operator - Elasticsearch Deployment

Elasticsearch High Availability Best Practices

IBM OpenShift Logging Solution Architecture

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 Administration References:

Open Tracing in IBM API Connect allows for distributed tracing of API calls across the system, helping administrators analyze performance bottlenecks and troubleshoot issues. However, this capability is specifically designed to work with APIs that utilize the API Gateway.

Option A (Correct Answer): IBM API Connect integrates with OpenTracing for API Gateway, allowing the tracing of API requests in the Operations Dashboard. This provides deep visibility into request flows and latencies.

Option B (Incorrect): API debug data is not directly made available in OpenShift cluster logging. Instead, API tracing data is captured using OpenTracing-compatible tools.

Option C (Incorrect): OpenTracing is available for all deployment profiles, including production, not just non-production environments.

Option D (Incorrect): Trace data is not directly visible in Analytics dashboards but rather in the Operations Dashboard where administrators can inspect API request traces.

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 Administration References:

IBM API Connect Documentation – OpenTracing

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration - API Gateway Tracing

IBM API Connect Operations Dashboard Guide

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 is designed to run on containerized environments that support Red Hat OpenShift, which can be deployed on various public clouds and on-premises environments. The two correct options that support CP4I deployments are:

Amazon Web Services (AWS) (Option B) ✅

AWS supports IBM Cloud Pak for Integration via Red Hat OpenShift on AWS (ROSA) or self-managed OpenShift clusters running on AWS EC2 instances.

CP4I components such as API Connect, App Connect, MQ, and Event Streams can be deployed on OpenShift running on AWS.

In IBM Cloud Pak Foundational Services, the audit-syslog-service is responsible for receiving audit data and collecting application logs. This service ensures that security and compliance-related events are properly recorded and made available for analysis.

The audit-syslog-service is a key component of Cloud Pak's logging and monitoring framework, specifically designed to capture audit logs from various services.

It can forward logs to external SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) systems or centralized log collection tools for further analysis.

It helps organizations meet compliance and governance requirements by maintaining detailed audit trails.

Why is audit-syslog-service the correct answer?

A. logging service (Incorrect)

While Cloud Pak Foundational Services include a logging service, it is primarily for general application logging and does not specifically handle audit data collection.

C. systemd journal (Incorrect)

systemd journal is the default system log manager on Linux but is not the dedicated service for handling Cloud Pak audit logs.

D. fluentd service (Incorrect)

Fluentd is a log forwarding agent used for collecting and transporting logs, but it does not directly receive audit data in Cloud Pak Foundational Services. It can be used in combination with audit-syslog-service for log aggregation.

Analysis of the Incorrect Options:

IBM Cloud Pak Foundational Services - Audit Logging

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration Logging and Monitoring

Configuring Audit Log Forwarding in IBM Cloud Pak

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 Administration References:

In IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I), distributed tracing allows administrators to monitor the flow of requests across multiple services. This feature helps in diagnosing performance issues and debugging integration flows.

Tracing must be enabled during the initial deployment of an integration capability instance.

Once deployed, tracing settings cannot be changed dynamically without redeploying the instance.

This ensures that tracing configurations are properly set up and integrated with observability tools like OpenTelemetry, Jaeger, or Zipkin.

A. If tracing has not been enabled, the administrator can turn it on without the need to redeploy the integration capability. (Incorrect)

Tracing cannot be enabled after deployment. It must be configured during the initial deployment process.

B. Distributed tracing data is enabled by default when a new capability is instantiated through the Platform Navigator. (Incorrect)

Tracing is not enabled by default. The administrator must manually enable it during deployment.

C. The administrator can schedule tracing to run intermittently for each specified integration capability. (Incorrect)

There is no scheduling option for tracing in CP4I. Once enabled, tracing runs continuously based on the chosen settings.

D. Tracing for an integration capability instance can be enabled only when deploying the instance. (Correct)

This is the correct answer. Tracing settings are defined at deployment and cannot be modified afterward without redeploying the instance.

Analysis of the Options:

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration - Tracing and Monitoring

Enabling Distributed Tracing in IBM CP4I

IBM OpenTelemetry and Jaeger Tracing Integration

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 Administration References:

In IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2, which runs on Red Hat OpenShift, administrators often need to interact with running containers for troubleshooting, debugging, or configuration changes. The correct command to attach the shell to a running container is:

oc attach -c

This command connects the user to the standard input (stdin), output (stdout), and error (stderr) streams of the specified container inside a pod.

Alternatively, for interactive shell access, administrators can use:

oc exec -it -c -- /bin/sh

or

oc exec -it -c -- /bin/bash

if the container supports Bash.

A. run → ❌ Incorrect

The oc run command creates a new pod rather than attaching to an existing running container.

C. connect → ❌ Incorrect

There is no oc connect command in OpenShift or Kubernetes for attaching to a container shell.

D. shell → ❌ Incorrect

OpenShift and Kubernetes do not have a shell command for connecting to a running container.

Instead, the oc exec command is used to start an interactive shell session inside a container.

Explanation of Incorrect Answers:

OpenShift CLI (oc) Command Reference

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration Troubleshooting Guide

Kubernetes attach vs exec Commands

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 Administration References:

When troubleshooting an IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 instance, IBM Support requires diagnostic data that provides insights into the system’s performance, errors, and failures. The most critical diagnostic information comes from the Standard OpenShift Container Platform logs because:

CP4I runs on OpenShift, and its components are deployed as Kubernetes pods, meaning logs from OpenShift provide essential insights into infrastructure-level and application-level issues.

The OpenShift logs include:

Pod logs (oc logs ), which contain information about application behavior.

Event logs (oc get events), which provide details about errors, scheduling issues, or failed deployments.

Node and system logs, which help diagnose resource exhaustion, networking issues, or storage failures.

B. Platform Navigator event logs → Incorrect

While Platform Navigator manages CP4I services, its event logs focus mainly on UI-related issues and do not provide deep troubleshooting data needed for IBM Support.

C. Cloud Pak For Integration activity logs → Incorrect

CP4I activity logs include component-specific logs but do not cover the underlying OpenShift platform or container-level issues, which are crucial for troubleshooting.

D. Integration tracing activity reports → Incorrect

Integration tracing focuses on tracking API and message flows but is not sufficient for diagnosing broader CP4I system failures or deployment issues.

Explanation of Incorrect Answers:

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration Troubleshooting Guide

OpenShift Log Collection for Support

IBM MustGather for Cloud Pak for Integration

Red Hat OpenShift Logging and Monitoring

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 Administration References:

High availability (HA) in IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 is crucial to ensure continuous service availability and reliability. Different components use different HA mechanisms, and the correct options are B and C.

B. Queue Manager (MQ) uses Replicated Data Queue Manager (RDQM).

IBM MQ supports HA through Replicated Data Queue Manager (RDQM), which uses synchronous data replication across nodes.

This ensures failover to another node without data loss if the primary node goes down.

RDQM is an efficient HA solution for MQ in CP4I.

C. API management uses a quorum mechanism where components are deployed on a minimum of three failure domains.

API Connect in CP4I follows a quorum-based HA model, meaning that the deployment is designed to function across at least three failure domains (availability zones).

This ensures resilience and prevents split-brain scenarios in case of node failures.

Correct Answers Explanation:

A. DataPower gateway uses a Quorum mechanism where a global load balancer uses a quorum algorithm to choose the active instance. → Incorrect

DataPower typically operates in Active/Standby mode rather than a quorum-based model.

It can be deployed behind a global load balancer, but the quorum algorithm is not used to determine the active instance.

D. Platform Navigator uses an Active/Active deployment, where the primary handles all the traffic and in case of failure of the primary, the load balancer will then route the traffic to the secondary. → Incorrect

Platform Navigator does not follow a traditional Active/Active deployment.

It is typically deployed as a highly available microservice on OpenShift, distributing workloads across nodes.

E. AppConnect can use a mix of mechanisms - like failover for stateful workloads and active/active deployments for stateless workloads. → Incorrect

While AppConnect can be deployed in Active/Active mode, it does not necessarily mix failover and active/active mechanisms explicitly for HA purposes.

Incorrect Answers Explanation:

IBM MQ High Availability and RDQM

IBM API Connect High Availability

IBM DataPower Gateway HA Deployment

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration Documentation

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 Administration References:

The command executed is:

sh

CopyEdit

oc get po

This command lists the pods running in an OpenShift (OCP) cluster where IBM API Connect is deployed.

Most API Connect management components (apic-dev-mgmt-xxx) are in a Running state, which indicates that the core API Connect system is operational.

The apic-dev-mgmt-turnstile pod is in a CrashLoopBackOff state, with 301 restarts, indicating that this component has repeatedly failed to start properly.

The Turnstile pod is a critical component of the IBM API Connect Developer Portal.

It manages authentication and access control for the Developer Portal, ensuring that API consumers can access the portal and manage API subscriptions.

When Turnstile is failing, the Developer Portal becomes unresponsive because authentication requests cannot be processed.

Key Observations from the Output:Understanding the Turnstile Component:

Since the Turnstile pod is failing, the Developer Portal will not function properly, preventing users from accessing API documentation and managing API subscriptions.

API providers and consumers will not be able to log in or interact with the Developer Portal.

Why Answer B is Correct?

A. The Analytics subsystem cannot retain historical data. → Incorrect

The Analytics-related pods (e.g., apic-dev-analytics-xxx) are in a Running state.

If the Analytics component were failing, metrics collection and historical API call data would be impacted, but this is not indicated in the output.

C. Automated API behavior testing has failed. → Incorrect

There is no evidence in the pod list that API testing-related components (such as test clients or monitoring tools) have failed.

D. New API calls will be rejected by the gateway service. → Incorrect

The gateway service is not shown as failing in the provided output.

API traffic flows through the Gateway pods (typically apic-gateway-xxx), and they appear to be running fine.

If gateway-related pods were failing, API call processing would be affected, but that is not the case here.

Explanation of Incorrect Answers:

IBM API Connect Deployment on OpenShift

Troubleshooting Developer Portal Issues

Understanding API Connect Components

OpenShift Troubleshooting Pods

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 Administration References:

In IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2, profiles define the resource allocation and configuration settings for deployed services. When creating a second medium-size profile, the system will allocate the resources according to the medium-size specifications, without affecting the first profile.

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration supports multiple profiles, each with its own resource allocation.

When a second medium-size profile is created, it is independently assigned the medium-size configuration without modifying the existing profiles.

This allows multiple services to run with similar resource constraints but remain separately managed.

Why Option B is Correct:

A. The first profile will be replaced by the second profile. → ❌ Incorrect

Creating a new profile does not replace an existing profile; each profile is independent.

C. The first profile will be re-configured with a medium size. → ❌ Incorrect

The first profile remains unchanged. A second profile does not modify or reconfigure an existing one.

D. The second profile will be configured with a large size. → ❌ Incorrect

The second profile will retain the specified medium size and will not be automatically upgraded to a large size.

Explanation of Incorrect Answers:

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration Sizing and Profiles

Managing Profiles in IBM Cloud Pak for Integration

OpenShift Resource Allocation for CP4I

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 Administration References:

In IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2, when new IBM MQ (Message Queue) containers are deployed, sensitive data such as passwords, credentials, and encryption keys must be securely injected into the container environment.

The correct Kubernetes object for storing and injecting sensitive data is a Secret.

Kubernetes Secrets securely store sensitive data

Secrets allow IBM MQ containers to retrieve authentication credentials (e.g., admin passwords, TLS certificates, and API keys) without exposing them in environment variables or config maps.

Unlike ConfigMaps, Secrets are encrypted and access-controlled, ensuring security compliance.

Used by IBM MQ Operator

When deploying IBM MQ in OpenShift/Kubernetes, the MQ operator references Secrets to inject necessary credentials into MQ containers.

Example:

Why is "Secret" the correct answer?apiVersion: v1

kind: Secret

metadata:

name: mq-secret

type: Opaque

data:

mq-password: bXlxYXNzd29yZA==

The MQ container can then access this mq-password securely.

Prevents hardcoding sensitive data

Instead of storing passwords directly in deployment files, using Secrets enhances security and compliance with enterprise security standards.

Why are the other options incorrect?❌ A. Replicator

The Replicator is responsible for synchronizing and replicating messages across MQ queues but does not store sensitive credentials.

❌ B. MQRegistry

The MQRegistry is used for tracking queue manager details but does not manage sensitive data injection.

It mainly helps with queue manager registration and configuration.

❌ C. DeploymentConfig

A DeploymentConfig in OpenShift defines how pods should be deployed but does not handle sensitive data injection.

Instead, DeploymentConfig can reference a Secret, but it does not store sensitive information itself.

IBM MQ Security - Kubernetes Secrets

IBM Docs – Securely Managing MQ in Kubernetes

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration Knowledge Center

Covers how Secrets are used in MQ container deployments.

Red Hat OpenShift Documentation – Kubernetes Secrets

Secrets in Kubernetes

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 Administration References:

In IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2, secure communication between the Platform Navigator and other capability modules (such as API Connect, MQ, App Connect, and Event Streams) is essential to maintain data integrity and confidentiality.

The protocol used for secure communications between CP4I modules is Transport Layer Security (TLS).

Encryption: TLS encrypts data during transmission, preventing unauthorized access.

Authentication: TLS ensures that modules communicate securely by verifying identities using certificates.

Data Integrity: TLS protects data from tampering while in transit.

Industry Standard: TLS is the modern, secure successor to SSL and is widely adopted in enterprise security.

Why TLS is Used for Secure Communications in CP4I?By default, CP4I services use TLS 1.2 or higher, ensuring strong encryption for inter-service communication within the OpenShift cluster.

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration enforces TLS-based encryption for internal and external communications.

TLS provides a secure channel for communication between Platform Navigator and other CP4I components.

It is the recommended protocol over SSL due to security vulnerabilities in older SSL versions.

Why Answer D (TLS) is Correct?

A. SSL → Incorrect

SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is an older protocol that has been deprecated due to security flaws.

CP4I uses TLS, which is the successor to SSL.

B. HTTP → Incorrect

HTTP is not secure for internal communication.

CP4I uses HTTPS (HTTP over TLS) for secure connections.

C. SSH → Incorrect

SSH (Secure Shell) is used for remote administration, not for service-to-service communication within CP4I.

CP4I services do not use SSH for inter-service communication.

Explanation of Incorrect Answers:

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration Security Guide

Transport Layer Security (TLS) in IBM Cloud Paks

IBM Platform Navigator Overview

TLS vs SSL Security Comparison

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 Administration References:

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) relies on IBM Common Services for authentication, licensing, and other foundational functionalities. The License Service API is a key component that enables the monitoring and reporting of software license usage across the cluster.

Authentication to the License Service APITo authenticate to the IBM License Service APIs, a token is required, which is stored in the ibm-licensing-token secret within the ibm-common-services namespace (where IBM Common Services are installed).

When Cloud Pak for Integration (installed in the cp4i namespace) needs to interact with the License Service API, it retrieves the authentication token from this secret in the ibm-common-services namespace.

The ibm-licensing-token secret is automatically created in the ibm-common-services namespace when the IBM License Service is deployed.

This token is required for authentication when querying licensing information via the License Service API.

Since IBM Common Services are installed in ibm-common-services, and the licensing service is part of these foundational services, authentication tokens are stored in this namespace rather than the cp4i namespace.

Why is Option D Correct?

Analysis of Other Options:Option

Correct/Incorrect

Reason

A. A token available in ibm-licensing-token secret in the cp4i namespace.

❌ Incorrect

The licensing token is stored in the ibm-common-services namespace, not in cp4i.

B. A password available in platform-auth-idp-credentials in the ibm-common-services namespace.

❌ Incorrect

This secret is related to authentication for the IBM Identity Provider (OIDC) and is not used for licensing authentication.

C. A password available in ibm-entitlement-key in the cp4i namespace.

❌ Incorrect

The ibm-entitlement-key is used for accessing IBM Container Registry to pull images, not for licensing authentication.

D. A token available in ibm-licensing-token secret in the ibm-common-services namespace.

✅ Correct

This is the correct secret that contains the required token for authentication to the License Service API.

IBM Documentation: IBM License Service Authentication and Tokens

IBM Knowledge Center: Managing License Service in OpenShift

IBM Redbooks: IBM Cloud Pak for Integration Deployment Guide

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 Administration References:

In IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2, when deploying IBM MQ containers in OpenShift, queue definitions and other MQSC (MQ Script Command) commands need to be provided to configure the MQ environment dynamically. This is typically done using a Kubernetes ConfigMap, which allows administrators to define and inject configuration files, including MQSC scripts, into the containerized MQ instance at runtime.

A ConfigMap in OpenShift or Kubernetes is used to store configuration data as key-value pairs or files.

For IBM MQ, a ConfigMap can include an MQSC script that contains queue definitions, channel settings, and other MQ configurations.

When a new MQ container is deployed, the ConfigMap is mounted into the container, and the MQSC commands are executed to set up the queues.

Why is ConfigMap the Correct Answer?Example Usage:A sample ConfigMap containing MQSC commands for queue definitions may look like this:

apiVersion: v1

kind: ConfigMap

metadata:

name: my-mq-config

data:

10-create-queues.mqsc: |

DEFINE QLOCAL('MY.QUEUE') REPLACE

DEFINE QLOCAL('ANOTHER.QUEUE') REPLACE

This ConfigMap can then be referenced in the MQ Queue Manager’s deployment configuration to ensure that the queue definitions are automatically executed when the MQ container starts.

A. MORegistry - Incorrect

The MORegistry is not a component used for queue definitions. Instead, it relates to Managed Objects in certain IBM middleware configurations.

B. CCDTJSON - Incorrect

CCDTJSON refers to Client Channel Definition Table (CCDT) in JSON format, which is used for defining MQ client connections rather than queue definitions.

C. OperatorImage - Incorrect

The OperatorImage contains the IBM MQ Operator, which manages the lifecycle of MQ instances in OpenShift, but it does not store queue definitions or execute MQSC commands.

IBM Documentation: Configuring IBM MQ with ConfigMaps

IBM MQ Knowledge Center: Using MQSC commands in Kubernetes ConfigMaps

IBM Redbooks: IBM Cloud Pak for Integration Deployment Guide

Analysis of Other Options:IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 Administration References:

In IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2, licensing is based on Virtual Processor Cores (VPCs), and it includes entitlement for OpenShift usage. However, OpenShift master nodes (control plane nodes) do not consume license entitlement, because:

OpenShift licensing only applies to worker nodes.

The master nodes (control plane nodes) manage cluster operations and scheduling, but they do not run user workloads.

IBM’s Cloud Pak licensing model considers only the worker nodes for licensing purposes.

Master nodes are essential infrastructure and are excluded from entitlement calculations.

IBM and Red Hat do not charge for OpenShift master nodes in Cloud Pak deployments.

A. CP4I licenses include entitlement for the entire OpenShift cluster that they run on, and the administrator can count against the master nodes. → ❌ Incorrect

CP4I licenses do cover OpenShift, but only for worker nodes where workloads are deployed.

Master nodes are excluded from licensing calculations.

C. The administrator will need to purchase additional OpenShift licenses to cover the master nodes. → ❌ Incorrect

No additional OpenShift licenses are required for master nodes.

OpenShift licensing only applies to worker nodes that run applications.

D. CP4I licenses include entitlement for 3 cores of OpenShift per core of CP4I. → ❌ Incorrect

The standard IBM Cloud Pak licensing model provides 1 VPC of OpenShift for 1 VPC of CP4I, not a 3:1 ratio.

Additionally, this applies only to worker nodes, not master nodes.

Explanation of Incorrect Answers:

IBM Cloud Pak Licensing Guide

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration Licensing Details

Red Hat OpenShift Licensing Guide

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 Administration References:

In IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2, when integrating LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) for authentication, an account lockout policy can be configured to enhance security.

The account lockout policy is designed to prevent brute-force attacks by temporarily or permanently restricting user access after multiple failed login attempts.

If a user enters incorrect credentials multiple times, the account is locked based on the configured policy.

The lockout can be temporary (auto-unlock after a period) or permanent (admin intervention required).

This prevents attackers from guessing passwords through repeated login attempts.

The policy's main function is to restrict access after repeated failed attempts, ensuring security.

It helps mitigate brute-force attacks and unauthorized access.

LDAP enforces the lockout rules based on the organization's security settings.

How the Account Lockout Policy Works:Why Answer D is Correct?

A. It warns the administrator if multiple login attempts fail. → Incorrect

While administrators may receive alerts, the primary function of the lockout policy is to restrict access, not just warn the admin.

B. It prompts the user to change the password. → Incorrect

An account lockout prevents login rather than prompting a password change.

Password change prompts usually happen for expired passwords, not failed logins.

C. It deletes the user account. → Incorrect

Lockout disables access but does not delete the user account.

Explanation of Incorrect Answers:

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration Security & LDAP Configuration

IBM Cloud Pak Foundational Services - Authentication & User Management

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration - Managing User Access

IBM LDAP Account Lockout Policy Guide

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 Administration References:

In IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2, the CA (Certificate Authority) domain specified for the cluster is typically stored in the config.yaml file. This file contains cluster-wide configuration settings, including TLS certificates, security settings, and domain details used for CA and authentication.

config.yaml is a standard Kubernetes and OpenShift configuration file format that stores cluster-wide settings, including CA domain and security configurations.

This file defines certificate authority (CA) details, domain names, authentication settings, and cluster networking information.

It is commonly used when configuring IBM Cloud Pak foundational services and handling TLS/SSL certificates for secure communication between CP4I components.

Why Option C (config.yaml) is Correct:

A. ca.config → Incorrect

There is no standard ca.config file in IBM Cloud Pak for Integration or OpenShift for defining the CA domain.

CA-related configurations are stored in certificates and security configuration files, usually inside config.yaml.

B. config.json → Incorrect

JSON format (config.json) is not used for cluster-wide configurations in CP4I or OpenShift.

Configuration files in OpenShift and Kubernetes are typically in YAML (.yaml) format.

D. domain.config → Incorrect

domain.config is not a standard configuration file for IBM Cloud Pak for Integration.

Domain settings are managed in config.yaml and other Kubernetes secret configurations.

Explanation of Incorrect Answers:

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration Security and TLS Configuration

IBM Cloud Pak Foundational Services - Configuring TLS Certificates

Red Hat OpenShift Security Documentation

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 Administration References:

Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) is an XML-based standard used for exchanging identity, authentication, and authorization information between an Identity Provider (IdP) and a Service Provider (SP).

SAML is widely used for Single Sign-On (SSO) authentication in enterprise environments, allowing users to authenticate once with an identity provider and gain access to multiple applications without needing to log in again.

User Requests Access → The user tries to access a service (Service Provider).

Redirect to Identity Provider (IdP) → If not authenticated, the user is redirected to an IdP (e.g., Okta, Active Directory Federation Services).

User Authenticates with IdP → The IdP verifies user credentials.

SAML Assertion is Sent → The IdP generates a SAML assertion (XML-based token) containing authentication and authorization details.

Service Provider Grants Access → The service provider validates the SAML assertion and grants access.

How SAML Works:SAML is commonly used in IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 to integrate with enterprise authentication systems for secure access control.

B. IAM SSO authentication → ❌ Incorrect

IAM (Identity and Access Management) supports SAML for SSO, but "IAM SSO authentication" is not a specific XML-based authentication standard.

C. IAM via XML → ❌ Incorrect

There is no authentication method called "IAM via XML." IBM IAM systems may use XML configurations, but IAM itself is not an XML-based authentication protocol.

D. Enterprise XML → ❌ Incorrect

"Enterprise XML" is not a standard authentication mechanism. While XML is used in many enterprise systems, it is not a dedicated authentication protocol like SAML.

Explanation of Incorrect Answers:

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration - SAML Authentication

Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) Overview

IBM Identity and Access Management (IAM) Authentication

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 Administration References:

Upgrading from version 3.4.x and 3.5.x to version 3.6.x

Before you upgrade the foundational services installer version, make sure that the installer catalog source image has the correct tag.

If, during installation, you had set the catalog source image tag as latest, you do not need to manually change the tag.

If, during installation, you had set the catalog source image tag to a specific version, you must update the tag with the version that you want to upgrade to. Or, you can change the tag to latest to automatically complete future upgrades to the most current version.

To update the tag, complete the following actions.

To update the catalog source image tag, run the following command.

oc edit catalogsource opencloud-operators -n openshift-marketplace

Update the image tag.

Change image tag to the specific version of 3.6.x. The 3.6.3 tag is used as an example here:

spec:

displayName: IBMCS Operators

image: 'docker.io/ibmcom/ibm-common-service-catalog:3.6.3'

publisher: IBM

sourceType: grpc

updateStrategy:

registryPoll:

interval: 45m

Change the image tag to latest to automatically upgrade to the most current version.

spec:

displayName: IBMCS Operators

image: 'icr.io/cpopen/ibm-common-service-catalog:latest'

publisher: IBM

sourceType: grpc

updateStrategy:

registryPoll:

interval: 45m

To check whether the image tag is successfully updated, run the following command:

oc get catalogsource opencloud-operators -n openshift-marketplace -o jsonpath='{.spec.image}{"\n"}{.status.connectionState.lastObservedState}'

The following sample output has the image tag and its status:

icr.io/cpopen/ibm-common-service-catalog:latest

READY%

https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/cpfs?topic=online-upgrading-foundational-services-from-operator-release

In Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) configuration, the Base Distinguished Name (Base DN) specifies the starting point in the directory tree where searches for user authentication and group information begin. It acts as the root of the LDAP directory structure for queries.

Defines the scope of LDAP searches for user authentication.

Helps locate users, groups, and other directory objects within the directory hierarchy.

Ensures that authentication requests are performed within the correct organizational unit (OU) or domain.

Example: If users are stored in ou=users,dc=example,dc=com, then the Base DN would be:

Key Role of Base DN in Authentication:dc=example,dc=com

When an authentication request is made, LDAP searches for user entries within this Base DN to validate credentials.

A. Path to the server containing the Directory.

Incorrect, because the server path (LDAP URL) is defined separately, usually in the format:

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:ldap://ldap.example.com:389

C. Name of the database.

Incorrect, because LDAP is not a traditional relational database; it uses a hierarchical structure.

D. Configuration file path.

Incorrect, as LDAP configuration files (e.g., slapd.conf for OpenLDAP) are separate from the Base DN and are used for server settings, not authentication scope.

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 Administration References:

IBM Documentation: LDAP Authentication Configuration

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration - Configuring LDAP

Understanding LDAP Distinguished Names (DNs)

In IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2, Identity and Access Management (IAM) is part of Foundational Services, which provides authentication and authorization across different modules within CP4I.

When configuring IAM for single sign-on (SSO), the administrator must have administrator access to the IAM service. This is essential for:

Integrating external identity providers (IdPs) such as LDAP, SAML, or OIDC.

Managing user roles and access control policies across the Cloud Pak environment.

Configuring SSO settings for seamless authentication across all IBM Cloud Pak services.

IAM service administrators have full control over authentication and SSO settings.

They can configure and integrate identity providers for authentication.

This level of access is required to modify IAM settings in Cloud Pak for Integration.

Why Answer D (Access to IAM service as administrator) is Correct?

A. Access to the OpenShift Container Platform console as kubeadmin. → Incorrect

While kubeadmin is a cluster-wide OpenShift administrator, this role does not grant IAM administrative privileges in Cloud Pak Foundational Services.

IAM settings are managed within IBM Cloud Pak, not solely through OpenShift.

B. Access to IBM Cloud Pak for Integration as kubeadmin. → Incorrect

kubeadmin can manage OpenShift resources, but IAM requires specific access to the IAM service within Cloud Pak.

IAM administrators are responsible for configuring authentication, SSO, and identity providers.

C. Access to OpenShift cluster as root. → Incorrect

Root access is not relevant here because OpenShift does not use root users for administration.

IAM configurations are done within Cloud Pak, not at the OpenShift OS level.

Explanation of Incorrect Answers:

IBM Cloud Pak Foundational Services - IAM Configuration

Configuring Single Sign-On (SSO) in IBM Cloud Pak

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration Security Overview

OpenShift Authentication and Identity Management

IBM Cloud Pak for Integration (CP4I) v2021.2 Administration References: